Motor vehicle seat with two pivot axes

ABSTRACT

A seat assembly for a motor vehicle comprises a seat cushion frame, a seatback, and a leg. The seat cushion frame has an outboard end pivotably mounted proximate a side wall of the vehicle, and the seatback is pivotably connected to the seat cushion frame. The leg is pivotably mounted to the inboard end of the seat cushion frame.

TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] This invention relates generally to seats for motor vehicle seats, and relates more specifically to a seat having two pivot axes.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] Many motor vehicles, particularly sport utility vehicles and minivans, are equipped with rear seats that can be moved from a seating configuration, in which passengers can sit in the seat, to a so-called “load floor” configuration where the back support of the seat is folded downwardly to assume a horizontal orientation and thereby facilitate cargo stowage. Typically, locking mechanisms are provided for holding the seat in the seating configuration, and the locking mechanisms can be released to permit moving the seat to the load floor configuration.

[0003] It has also been proposed to provide a seat that stows in a vertical position. U.S. Pat. No. 5,492,389 shows a stowable seat having a cantilevered seatbase with a range of motion extending from a horizontally deployed position to a vertically stowed position.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0004] The present invention is a seat assembly for a motor vehicle. The seat assembly comprises a seat cushion frame, a seatback, and a leg. The seat cushion frame has an outboard end pivotably mounted proximate a side wall of the vehicle, and the seatback is pivotably connected to the seat cushion frame. The leg is pivotably mounted to the inboard end of the seat cushion frame.

[0005] Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a seat assembly of the type described above can be moved to a seating configuration and to a load floor configuration.

[0006] Another object of the present invention is to provide an assembly of the type described above that enables easier ingress and egress for back row seat occupants.

[0007] Still another object of the present invention is to provide an assembly of the type described above which is easy to use and cost-effective.

[0008] These and other features and advantages of the invention will become further apparent from the following detailed description of the presently preferred embodiments, read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. The detailed description and drawings are merely illustrative of the invention rather than limiting, the scope of the invention being defined by the appended claims and equivalents thereof.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0009]FIG. 1 is a front view of seat assembly according to the present invention for a motor vehicle in an upright, use position;

[0010]FIG. 2 is a front view of the seat assembly with a seatback is a folded position;

[0011]FIG. 3 is a side view of the seat assembly in a stowed position; and

[0012]FIG. 4 is a front view of the seat assembly in the stowed position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PRESENTLY PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0013]FIG. 1 shows one embodiment 10 of a seat assembly according to the present invention for a motor vehicle. The seat assembly 10 is normally a rear seat of the vehicle such as a minivan or a sport utility vehicle, and includes a seatback 12 and a seat cushion 14. The seatback 12 may assume a typical use position, as shown in FIG. 1, in which the seatback 12 is generally upright in order to support the back of an occupant. A conventional stationary or adjustable headrest 16, and a conventional pivotable arm rest 18, may also be provided.

[0014] The seatback 12 is pivotable with respect to the seat cushion 14 about a generally horizontal axis, as is well known. FIG. 2 shows the seat assembly 10 with the seatback 12 in a folded-forward position. The seat cushion 14 includes a frame 20 to which is attached an inboard leg 22. The leg 22 is latchable, with any conventional latching and release mechanism, to a load floor 24 of the vehicle. A brace 26 extends generally below the seat cushion 14 between the leg 22 and a pivot mounted proximate a door or side wall 28 of the vehicle.

[0015] As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the seat assembly 10 is rotatable to a stowed position proximate the side wall 28 about a second generally horizontal axis that is perpendicular to the axis about which the seatback 12 pivots. To accomplish this, the seat cushion frame 20 includes a bracket 32 pivotably connected to a support 34 mounted near the side wall 28. After the seatback 12 has been pivoted over the seat cushion 14, and the leg 22 has been released from the load floor 24, the entire seat assembly may be pivoted about the support 34 to the stowed position. During this operation, the outboard end of the brace 26 preferably rotates about a fixed pivot, while the inboard end of the brace may either slide in a slot (not shown) in the leg 22 or simply pull on the leg through a fixed pivot to draw the leg against the underside of the seat cushion, depending upon the precise dimensions involved. To facilitate its retraction, the leg 22 may be provided with spring-loaded pivot pins 36 to urge the leg to a position generally flush with the bottom of the seat cushion 14.

[0016] The seat may be locked in the stowed position through any suitable mechanism. In a preferred embodiment, a spring-loaded pin 38 may be inserted into a hole in the brace 26 to lock the seat in the upright position. The pin 38 may be retracted directly or through any suitable mechanism in order to allow the seat to rotate back toward the load floor 24.

[0017] The present invention thus provides a seat assembly that moves between a seating configuration and a configuration allowing the presentation of a relatively flat load floor. Moreover, the present invention is a cost effective method of facilitating ingress and egress for occupants of the rear seating row(s) of the motor vehicle.

[0018] While the embodiment of the invention disclosed herein is presently considered to be preferred, various changes and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. The scope of the invention is indicated in the appended claims, and all changes that come within the meaning and range of equivalents are intended to be embraced therein. 

1. A seat assembly for a motor vehicle, the seat assembly comprising: a seat cushion frame having an inboard end and an outboard end, the outboard end being pivotably mounted proximate a side wall of the vehicle; a seatback pivotably connected to the seat cushion frame; and a leg pivotably mounted to the inboard end of the seat cushion frame.
 2. The seat assembly of claim 1 wherein the leg is movable between a first position engaged with a load floor of the vehicle and a second position proximate the seat cushion frame.
 3. The seat assembly of claim 2 wherein the leg is latchable to the load floor of the vehicle.
 4. The seat assembly of claim 2 wherein the leg is normally biased toward the second position.
 5. The seat assembly of claim 1 further comprising a brace attached to the leg.
 6. The seat assembly of claim 5 wherein the brace is pivotably connected to the leg.
 7. The seat assembly of claim 5 wherein the brace extends from the leg to the side wall of the vehicle.
 8. The seat assembly of claim 7 wherein the brace is pivotably connected to the side wall of the vehicle.
 9. The seat assembly of claim 8 further comprising a pin engagable with the brace to lock the brace in a stowed position.
 10. The seat assembly of claim 1 further comprising a headrest connected to the seatback.
 11. The seat assembly of claim 1 further comprising an armrest connected to the seatback.
 12. A seat assembly for a motor vehicle having a load floor and a side wall, the seat assembly comprising: a seat cushion frame having an outboard end pivotably mounted proximate the side wall of the vehicle, the seat cushion frame being movable between a use position and a stowed position generally proximate a side wall of the vehicle; a seatback pivotably connected to the seat cushion frame; and a leg pivotably mounted to an inboard end of the seat cushion frame, the leg being movable between a first position engaged with the load floor of the vehicle and a second position proximate the seat cushion frame.
 13. The seat assembly of claim 12 wherein the leg is latchable to the load floor of the vehicle.
 14. The seat assembly of claim 12 wherein the leg is normally biased toward the second position.
 15. The seat assembly of claim 12 further comprising a brace attached to the leg.
 16. The seat assembly of claim 15 wherein the brace is pivotably connected to the leg.
 17. The seat assembly of claim 15 wherein the brace extends from the leg to the side wall of the vehicle.
 18. The seat assembly of claim 17 wherein the brace is pivotably connected to the side wall of the vehicle.
 19. The seat assembly of claim 18 further comprising a pin engagable with the brace to lock the brace in a stowed position. 